Lower Salmon River Adventure

Explore Idaho’s longest free-flowing rivers

Idaho’s legendary Salmon River remains one of the longest free-flowing rivers in the lower 48. As it reaches its confluence with the Snake, the river flows through a section known as the Canyons, or Gorges, of the Salmon. The landscape here is more wide open than other stretches of river, and the sandy beaches are big. In several of the canyon sections there are also some fun big water style rapids!

Adventure Highlights

Great Family Trip

Big Water Class II-III whitewater

Refreshing water for swimming and paddling kayaks

Huge sandy beaches for great games, comfortable camping, and star-gazing

Great Stand Up Paddle Boarding

More Details

On the Canyons of the Salmon, it’s all about the beaches and family time. Big beaches–even bigger than those you will find on the Main Salmon–make for easy camping and great family trips. Join the kids as they play in the swimming hole at camp or enjoy a cold drink and watch them from the shade tarp. Roomy beaches make for plentiful games, and the camp eddy is an excellent spot to cool down on a hot summer day or try your hand at paddle boarding!

The Canyons of the Salmon gets its name from the several canyons you will float through on this stretch of river: Green Canyon, Snow Hole Canyon, and Blue Canyon. Unlike some of the other Salmon River trips offered by WRO, this float is not through a designated wilderness area. But despite the signs of humans and roads you will encounter, the scenery in this section is still beautiful–you will cruise through narrow canyons, camp on sandy river beaches, and watch the Ponderosa forests of the upper Main Salmon begin to give way to the grasslands of the Snake River region.

The whitewater is big water pool drop class III. This big water style means great wave trains for inflatable kayaks, along with many sections perfect for standup paddle boards! We bring an assortment of boats on this section. Some of the big rapids to be ready for are Bodacious Bounce, Half and Half, China, Snow Hole and Eye of the Needle!

The lower Salmon also offers some fishing–smallmouth bass during the summer, and Steelhead in the fall as they migrate up the river and provide a sport fishery. During the peak of the summer, the water is a great temperature for swimming but is a little warm for good trout fishing.

As you float the 50 miles of the Lower Salmon River through several impressive canyons, you reach the confluence of the Snake River. Once on the Snake, the currents slow and you start to encounter more signs of civilization as the trip comes to an end.

Before the trip:
Fly commercially into Lewiston, Idaho (LWS), or drive, for those living in the region. We recommend staying at the Red Lion Hotel (208-799-1000) in Lewiston the night before the trip. We will meet there the night before the launch at 6 pm for orientation.
Here we will hand out dry bags and answer any last minute questions. The Red Lion Hotel has a free airport shuttle or parking available to leave your car if you plan on driving to Lewiston. The first morning we will depart Lewiston from the Red Lion early to head to the Hammer Creek put in.

After the trip:
We will provide transportation back to Lewiston the last day of the trip. Once we reach the confluence of the Snake River, a jet boat will pick everyone up on the Snake and take them to the docks in Clarkston for a short ride back to hotel. On smaller trips we also have the option to strap the boats together and motor the trip to Heller Bar and provide ground transportation from Heller Bar take out to the Red Lion in Lewiston. We usually arrive back to Lewiston in the late afternoon the final day of the trip.

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

This is the suggested gear list for this particular trip. Having the right gear is important to making it the best possible experience for you. Most of the gear listed you will have or you can use it year-round on any outdoor excursion (football games, boating, skiing, etc.) We want you to have everything you will need to be comfortable and happy.

Please: no stereos, radios, cell phones or watches

GEAR PROVIDED- SLEEPING BAG, PAD, GROUND CLOTH, AND TENT, LIFE JACKET, 2 WATERPROOF DUFFEL BAGS (one for sleeping bag, pad and ground cloth and one for clothing), WATERPROOF DAY BAG for items you would like accessible during the day (dry shirt, sunscreen, camera, etc.).

Wilderness River Outfitters provide a MAJOR FIRST AID KIT, however, we do recommend you bring your own preferred personal medication and accessories (Advil, Tylenol, Aspirin, Band-Aids, and cold medicine).